You have it right. ETSX is STRICTLY xc and light trails. Very weak frame in the stays. There was a user on here who asked out opinion on the bike. He wanted todo light dh and some small jumping. Frame broke.

Slayer is actually the original fr bike from RM before the RM series. The slayer is signifigantly stronger/burlier and also a bit heavier too I believe.

Bikes: Custom built STP 3, geared towards dirtjumping. And an aging Stinky deluxe with the works

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Yea, Im that user. I owned the 2004 ETSX-70, and I broke it within 3 months. I had to go out and buy a freeride bike after blowing $2400 on the etsx. Maelstrom is correct, RM may call it all mountain, but they are dead wrong. It cannot take ANY KIND OF A HIT OR JUMP. I would reccomend the slayer, it's a much more solid bike. The slayer can take jumps and small hits, yet it is still a very competent xc rig. the etsx is also up to $1000 more than the slayer. Not a good value.

Bikes: Rootbeer Bullit, stock......soon to be a transgold V10 w/shivers

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........They dont last time I checked. The Slayer is the is all mountain rig bro, I remember the add in my BIKE mag. something like "It can do just about anything"..........."sounds kinda ****** doesnt it". ETS-X was a enduro type bike....long XC, with a bit more travel....meant for being able to ride long distance.

Bikes: Custom built STP 3, geared towards dirtjumping. And an aging Stinky deluxe with the works

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The Hammer, Blizzard, Vertex and Element are the 4 xc bikes that Rocky Mountian makes. The reason they classify the ETSX as All Mountain racing is probably becuse they dont need 5 xc catagories, and they only had 1 other all mountain bike. However, in 2003 RM DID call the ETSX their new xc bike. So yes, it really is an xc, but they choose to call it all mountain, and most people believe what they read. I did.

[Edit]: They do call the ETSX all montain racing on the web site. check it out www.bikes.com

Really depends on your version of all mountain. If you keep the nose down and ride everything with lifting the bike in the air, I betcha the bike is fine. But I need to jump and drop. ITs not my version of an all mountain bike